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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · content · dip · rock · bear · court · press · mine

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mine — for digging
  5. content — happy
  6. court — for sport
  7. rock — music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. press — to push
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. court — of a king
  15. content — the amount
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. court — of law
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rock — a stone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com